To Love Even In Death
by Raymomofo
Summary: ReEditing Magic and Fate refuse to let Vernon Dursley take the life of young Harry Potter...Even if it means placing the young child into the realm of the dead...What happens when Harry must return to the realm from which he was born? HPBleach AU Year 4
1. Bonds of Friendship

**Disclaimer** – Harry Potter and all associated characters are property of J.K. Rowling. Bleach is the property of Kubo Tite.

**To Love Even In Death: Chapter One**

_Bonds of Friendship _

_The Year of 1984, Human Realm, Number 4 Privet Drive_

Harry James Potter.

A considerably normal name for a boy. Without knowing anything about him, anyone would think that he was a perfectly normal person. The name could belong to anybody, and is probably the name of thousands of boys throughout the world. However, the name of this Harry James Potter is anything but normal.

Number 4 Privet drive is considered to be a normal place of inhabitance…or so its inhabitants like to believe. Four individuals lived in the household: three Dursley's and one Potter. Vernon Dursley was a large beefy, round man with a moustache, who resembled a large whale from a distance. His wife, however, was nowhere similar to him. Skinny and bony, Petunia Dursley **LOVED** to gossip. It would be completely normal to see her spying over the neighbour's fence with her tall neck, trying to listen in on any secrets they were keeping. People sometimes wondered what in Hades name Vernon and Petunia saw in each other, but they supposedly loved each other very much. The "normal" couple had what they deemed to be one "normal" son. Dudley Dursley was a blonde child of four years who, even at a young age, greatly resembled his father from a distance. That is to say that he was growing up to be the whale that his father is. He had a tendency to throw a tantrum whenever he did not get what he wanted, and his parents would spoil him greatly in order to satisfy their "perfect" son.

However, their lived another individual within the household. Four year old Harry James Potter was the son of Petunia's deceased sister, Lily Potter, who had been murdered when Harry was one. Short and skinny, with messy black hair that feel in strands in front of his face. His emerald green eyes resembled shining gems, and were both beautiful and captivating. Despite his upbringing, Harry Potter was a well-mannered and graceful individual, who was both honest and humble. What made Harry James Potter unique, however, was a small mark on top of his forehead…A scar in the shape of a lightning bolt.

For you see, Harry James Potter was no ordinary child.

He was a wizard, and one of the most famous figures in the Wizarding World. He was the Boy-Who-Lived, defeater of the Dark Lord Voldemort who had spread terror throughout magical Britain for many years until the end of his reign of terror. With his loyal band of followers and vast knowledge of magic, Voldemort was able to strike fear into the hearts of the people. His aunt and uncle had always said that Harry's mom and dad died in a car crash…but Harry knew better.

For what people didn't know was that Harry Potter was the living example of a genius.

Harry's mind worked at a level far superior to any other living individual on the Earth. It processed thoughts quickly, and allowed him to quickly absorb information at a rate which individuals throughout the world dreamed of. His mind, strengthened by a photographic memory, was one which many could only dream of…and the poor young boy had no idea of how special he was.

Harry knew his parents never died in a car crash, despite what his aunt and uncle kept telling him. He remembered that night, three years ago. The night the man with the scary red eyes had arrived at his home, and murdered both his father and mother. He remembered the green flash of light that sped toward him that night, and clearly remembered the moment where the green flash of light rebounded back on its caster. What still gave him nightmares sometimes, however, was the ghastly spectre that escaped the body of the man when the light struck him. Harry remembered the feelings easily: a feeling of evil and coldness.

Yes, Harry James Potter knew about magic. How could he ever forget? Magic was the mysterious force within him and all other living things: a force which bound the world together. He could feel it in the air of his cupboard where he was locked up sometimes. It provided him with a feeling of peace and serenity, a feeling which was rare in the household of number 4 Privet Drive. He could only remember such a feeling whenever he was in the presence of his mommy.

Harry loved his mommy. While he understood that he would probably never see her again, it did not stop him from loving her any less than when she was with him. He could remember all the fun times they shared before she was taken away from him by the evil man: the times she played with him, the bedtime stories she read to him, and every time she said she loved him. Harry would never forgive the man with the red eyes who took his mommy away from him…He would one day pay for taking her away from Harry.

Harry was broken out of his thoughts by the sudden opening of the door to his cupboard. Harry looked upward and blinked innocently. Standing before Harry was a drunken Vernon Dursley, who was red in the face and sneering coldly at Harry. Harry did not react as his uncle grasped the collars of his shirt (which was Dudley's old shirt), and dragged him out of his sanctuary. "This is all your fault, **boy**!" yelled his uncle. Harry did not scream as he was suddenly thrown into the wall, before crumpling to the floor.

He did not cry. It was one thing mysterious about Harry James Potter which always annoyed his aunt and uncle to no end. Despite whatever punishment or abuse they inflicted on him (which they truly thought he deserved), their nephew did not cry. Harry had only cried one time in his life: when his mommy and daddy were taken away from him by the man with the red eyes. However, that was the **only** time.

Seeing his nephew on the floor acting as if nothing had just happened infuriated the drunken Vernon Dursley. Kicking the small form of his nephew, Vernon Dursley directed his fury at the innocent soul. "It's your fault that I'm going to lose my job, boy! You and your freakishness! Ever since we brought you into this house years ago, you have brought nothing but trouble for me and my family!" screamed the angry yet drunk Vernon Dursley as he kicked the still form of Harry Potter one more time before walking to a drawer closer to him.

Luckily, Petunia was out with Dudley doing some grocery shopping, for his wife would definitely stop him from doing what he was about to do. Reaching into the drawer, he pulled out a black pistol which he always kept in the house in case any trouble would arise. Checking to make sure there were bullets before turning the safety off, Vernon Dursley immediately pointed the gun at Harry's forehead. Unsurprisingly, Harry did not even flinch as he faced the end of the pistol. "This is for all the trouble you've caused me, boy!" roared Vernon Dursley as he pulled the trigger.

Before the bullet could hit Harry, a mysterious red shield of magical energy appeared from out of nowhere. The shield stopped the bullet in midair, before disintegrating every last particle of it. The drunken Vernon Dursley could only stare at the shield stupidly, as he continuously tried to kill his nephew. However, every bullet shot could not even reach Harry before it disappeared in front of his eyes.

Suddenly, the mysterious magical force encompassed the rest of the room. As it came into contact with Vernon Dursley, every memory relating to the incident was wiped from his mind before knocking him unconscious, sending his large form plummeting to the floor. Harry stared at the magical force in wonder as it surrounded him, as he was whisked away from Privet Drive.

Far away in a distant castle, an old wizard sat in his office, sucking on his lemon drops. In his mind, he was slowly planning for the future, including his plans for a certain Boy-Who-Lived. The instruments on his desk monitoring Harry James Potter made no indication of anything strange happening to the young boy, resulting in the old man believing that his future pawn was still at number 4 Privet Drive. It would not be until a few days later, when Arabella Figg informed him that Harry Potter had vanished, that he would discover the disappearance of one Harry James Potter…

* * *

_In a realm separate from that of Earth, there exists a location where souls come together. Some call it the afterlife, some call it heaven, and some even refer to it as "the next great adventure." However, to those souls who have passed on, it is more commonly referred to as "Soul Society."_

_Similar to the Earth, Soul Society has its own laws, institutions, and government. However, the laws that exist in this realm are created in order to protect the souls and spirits of those who have passed away. Soul Society consists of two distinct parts: Rukongai, where the majority of the spirits dwell and Seireitei, the Court of Pure Souls, where the Shinigami are found._

_Rukongai is split into four quadrants: the north, east, south and west. Various districts numbered one to eighty are located within these four areas. Souls which live in Rukongai do not live a life of luxury. Were it to be compared to the Earth, it could easily be compared to the life of a peasant in the Middle Ages. However, the souls that live there live a happy and peaceful life. Though they remain conscious of the fact that there exists a world where humans dwell, most decide to move on with their lives._

_The center of Soul Society is known as the Seireitei, home to the Shinigami (Death Gods). Separated by the four gates and a powerful barrier, those from Rukongai can not enter Seireitei without permission from within. However, the inhabitants of this place carry out special tasks, which other souls do not: to regulate and balance the souls of the world, to guide good spirits, known as "Pluses", to Soul Society, and to defeat the evil spirits, known as "Hollows."_

_Hollows can come into existence in a number of ways. If a soul were to die and continue to walk the ground in which they died, the hole in their heart will continue to grow and turn them into a hollow. In addition, being eaten by another hollow will transform the poor soul into a being of evil. Once a soul has become a hollow, they first seek out the souls of their loved ones before moving on to souls with a higher level of spirit concentration. These are the beings in which Shinigami fight to protect the lives of the innocent._

_The Shinigami are split into thirteen divisions, all together known as the "Gotei 13." Each division of the Gotei 13 has its own Captain and Vice-Captain, who are the strongest two individuals found within the division. Shinigami can be identified by their black robes with white trimming and a cloth belt. Captains, on the other hand, wear a white robe with their division number on the back along with their black robes to designate their rank._

_Soul Society is truly a peaceful place where souls can live with no worries…Unknown to many of the inhabitants of Soul Society, a red magical force suddenly appeared in North Rukongai, District thirty. Had anyone been near the area at that point, they would have seen a young child that looked no older than four years old appearing from the phenomenon…

* * *

_

_The Year of 1854, Soul Society, North Rukongai, District Thirty_

As Harry became aware of his surroundings, he found himself on the ground in a location in which he had never seen before. As his senses started to pick up the various characteristics of his location, Harry slowly got up to his feet. Looking around carefully, he discovered that he was in some form of a dark alleyway, where he could hardly see the ground in front of him. The air smelled fresh and clean, despite the fact that he was in an alleyway, Off in the distance, he could hear the voices of many people talking and shouting loudly. Deciding to get a better sense of where he was, Harry slowly walked out of the alleyway.

As he did so, Harry was forced to cover his eyes as the light of the sun shone upon his eyes. Blinking as his eyes adjusted to the light, Harry found himself in a busy street full of other people. There were people simply walking through the streets, as they traveled from one destination to another. Some were simply standing around in groups, as they seemed to be discussing various topics. There were people standing behind stalls, shouting loudly to the people walking before them as they advertised the products they were selling. Harry noticed with a glint in his eyes that there was a stall selling what looked like delicious watermelons. He loved watermelons. His mommy had always given him watermelon back when they were still together, remembered Harry sadly.

"You like watermelons too, huh?"

Harry jumped backwards a step with a loud gasp as the unknown voice spoke to him. As Harry got over his shock, he saw some a little boy his age hanging upside-down above him from the small rooftop, with his arms crossed. The little boy was about Harry's height, with spiky white hair that was just as unruly as Harry's was. The boy wore navy blue clothing, with a purple sash tied around his waist. The boy had a lazy look upon his face, and his ice green eyes stared at Harry's own emerald ones. Harry nodded and said "Uh huh. My mommy always had delicious watermelons for me."

The boy before him frowned slightly. "Mommy, huh? I don't really remember mine. She died before I could really get to know her." Harry smiled in what looked like a sympathetic look. "My mommy died too a few years ago" said Harry to the other boy. Suddenly, he remembered the situation he was in. "Umm, if you don't mind me asking…where are we?" asked Harry. The other boy's eyes widened in surprise, before they regained their lazy looks. "You're new around here, huh?" At Harry's nod, the boy continued. "We're in Soul Society, a place where souls come together after dying. To be more specific, we're in North Rukongai, District Thirty. Rukongai's the place where most souls live by the way" explained the white haired boy.

Harry's eyes slightly widened. _'I'm dead?'_ wondered Harry. _'But that can't be right. Uncle Vernon never managed to shot me…But then why am I here?'_ Harry snapped out of his thoughts and turned to the other boy. "We're…dead?" asked Harry slowly. The other boy nodded. "Yeah…One minute I remember falling asleep in my bed. The next, I woke up on the ground in this district." The boy then turned his curious, yet lazy eyes upon Harry. "How about you? Do you remember how you got here?" Before Harry could respond, the two boys heard a small scream of fright off in the distance, causing the other boy to leave his position from the roof. The two boys looked at each other, before both taking off in a run towards where the sound originated.

As they reached their location, the other boy dragged Harry off to the side, in order to avoid being seen. After having done so, the two boys peeked around the box they were hiding behind, as they slowly tried to find out what was happening. What they saw quickly angered the two four year olds. Standing closest to them was a group of three girls, who reminded Harry of how his aunt Petunia looked. They were all skinny and bony, which was really strange for girls their age. They sneered down at something in front of them, which angered both Harry and the other boy when he saw what it was.

What angered the two boys was the fact that those three girls were bullying what looked to be a little girl around their age. She had raven black hair, similar to Harry's, which was tied back in a ponytail. Her beige clothing was dirty, probably due to the actions of being pushed on the ground. Her gentle brown eyes looked up in fright at the boys before her. Little Harry gritted his teeth in anger. He hated bullies. Unbeknownst to him, the other boy was also gritting his teeth in anger as he witnessed the events before him.

"So, you think you're so much better than the rest of us, Hinamori? Think that with your cute face and nice manners would make you better than us, huh?" shouted one of the girls, who appeared to be the leader of the little gang of girls. The girl named Hinamori shook her head fiercely, as tears started rolling down her face. This angered the two girls, and the one who spoke slowly walked forward in a threatening manner toward Hinamori. The two boys in the distance, realizing what was going to happen, ran forward quickly, hoping they would make it in time. The girl stopped inches away from Hinamori. "Well then, we'll see how cute your face is once I make a few adjustments to it" snapped the girl, as she prepared to slap Hinamori. Hinamori closed her eyes, as she braced herself for the incoming pain. She waited…and waited…but nothing came. Slowly opening her eyes, they widened at the sight before her.

The slap of the girl never came because her arm was being held back by a boy her age with white hair. His ice green eyes glared coldly at the bully, making him appear older and more dangerous than he probably usually appeared to be. Standing in front of Hinamori protectively was a boy in dirty rags whose face she could not see. That is, until he turned around. Little Hinamori suddenly found herself staring at another set of green eyes, though these looked to be a lot more gentle as they looked upon Hinamori. "Are you alright?" asked Harry worriedly. Hinamori nodded, still shocked at being saved by these two boys.

Seeing that she was safe, Harry turned around and nodded towards the other boy, as his eyes suddenly appeared more dangerous than they initially were. The female bully was screaming at the other boy as she attempted to wretch her arm out of his grasp. Behind her, her two comrades simply wondered what was going on, instead of coming to her aid. Catching sight of two sets of cold green eyes glaring at her, the girl ceased her attempts to escape. "I'm only going to tell you this once. If I ever see you hurt another person like you did to her again, I'll make sure you regret it." whispered the boy coldly. As she nodded in response, her arm was released and she took off into the distance immediately, her two friends following her shortly.

Once they disappeared off into the distance, both Harry and the other boy each took a seat besides the stunned Hinamori. Hinamori found herself feeling at peace, and felt as if she was perfectly safe at the moment. "Hinamori, right?" asked Harry on her right. She nodded. "Thank you for saving me" she whispered. The white haired boy beside her rolled his eyes. "Don't worry so much about it. We weren't going to just sit there and watch them hurt you." As Hinamori felt touched by their sense of protectiveness, she suddenly realized that she hadn't properly introduced herself yet. "Where are my manners? My name is Hinamori Momo. Nice to meet you" said Hinamori, with manners that no four year old normally possessed. Harry smiled at her. "It's nice to meet you too. My name is Harry James Potter" said Hinamori. The other boy sighed. "Hitsugaya Toushirou. Nice to meet you too, I suppose."

The three of them looked at each other, before the two boys burst out laughing and Hinamori started giggling. After a few moments of nothing but laughter, Hitsugaya stood up. "Well, it's getting late." said Hitsugaya as he stared up at the night sky. "I got to find somewhere to stay. Wanna come with, Harry?" asked Hitsugaya. Harry thought for a moment, before nodding and getting up. "Wait!" exclaimed Hinamori. The two boys stared at her, wondering what she needed. Nervous, she asked them "You don't have a place to stay?"

Both boys shook their heads. "I'm afraid we don't, Hinamori. Hitsugaya arrived here only a few days ago, and I just arrived today." replied Harry. Harry then blinked as Hinamori smiled at them, with hope shining in her brown eyes. "Umm…If you need somewhere to stay, you could stay with me…" whispered Hinamori. "I only arrived here a few days ago as well, but this house behind me belongs to me" said Hinamori, as she pointed to the building behind her. It was nothing special really, but it would be able to fit the three of them easily. Harry and Hitsugaya turned to each other, as if silently communicating. A moment later, Harry turned towards Hinamori. "We wouldn't want to intrude…" He was cut off as Hinamori began shaking her head fiercely. "No! You wouldn't be intruding!" exclaimed Hinamori. In a much quieter voice, almost a nervous whisper, she said "It sometimes gets lonely around here, and it'd nice to have people my age to be around."

Sensing the loneliness in her voice, Harry and Hitsugaya smiled softly before nodding their heads simultaneously. "Well…How can we say no to that?" directed Hitsugaya towards Harry, who nodded his head in agreement. Seeing them agree to her proposal, Hinamori smiled widely as she bounded up the steps of the household. Opening the door, she quickly gestured them inside, before entering herself. As she did so, she ran into her two new friends who were looking at their new home in amazement. Sure, it was nothing fancy, but it would be perfect for the three of them. There were three bedrooms in the household upstairs, one for each of them. In addition, there was a living room for them all to gather together, along with a washroom and a kitchen, on the lower level. Shuffling her feet nervously as they continued looking around, Hinamori whispered to them "It's getting late. How about we get some rest?" asked Hinamori. Snapping out of their stupor, the two boys nodded in agreement.

Smiling at them, Hinamori took their hands into her own and lead them upstairs, to the surprise of both Harry and Hitsugaya. Stopping at her room, which happened to be the one in the middle, Hinamori pointed to the room on the left of her own. "Hitsugaya, you can have that room. Harry, you can have the other room" directed Hinamori. They nodded slowly, before saying good night to each other and walking to their respective rooms. As Harry entered his own and lied on his bed, he smiled as he thought about how much his life had changed today. He was in a different world now, and he had no idea what he was going to do in the coming times. However, he was glad that he had made two good friends in both Hitsugaya and Hinamori. _What will come, will come, and we'll face it together'_ thought Harry as he drifted off to sleep. Unbeknownst to him, the other two members of the household were thinking along the same lines before they too drifted off to sleep.

On this day, a friendship had been forged between the three children: Hitsugaya Toushirou, Hinamori Momo, and Harry James Potter. Though they had only met, the friendship they had created would prove to be one of the strongest bonds to ever appear in history. Enjoyable times lied ahead for them, but they would go through an equal amount of difficult times in the future. However, they would be able to survive them together, for the love and trust they would develop would be invaluable in the future.

And so the three souls lived together for many years. Time in Soul Society was parallel to that of the human realm, but for every ten years spent in Soul Society, they would only age one year physically. In fact, many was an understatement, for they would live together for the next century and ten years…

* * *

_The Year of 1964, Soul Society, North Rukongai, District Thirty_

It was a bright sunny day in North Rukongai, District Thirty. The birds were chirping, the grass was green, and the rivers flowed with an endless amount of fish. In a certain part of this district, there was a small wooden house surrounded by rivers and bushes. The house was a traditional Japanese household, with its slide-open doors and its curved wooden roof. The foundation was made of stone and, from a distance, many would expect a small family to live there. While its inhabitants did consider each other family, there were times they would absolutely deny having any sort of relationship with them whatsoever.

One of these inhabitants was currently lying by the river in front of the house. While the individual looked to be about 14 years of age, in reality he was about 114 years old. His raven black hair was long, and tied back into a ponytail. Mot easily recognizable due to the lightning bolt scar on his forehead and his emerald green eyes, which shone with a light of kindness and sincerity, Harry James Potter was also considered to be quite tall for his age. He now wore a set of light green robe with a white sash tied around his waist, which were both chosen by his long-time friend, Hinamori Momo, who basically took it upon herself to choose his clothing for him.

Harry let out a sigh as he mulled over his life in his head. Even after all these years, he still could not believe that he had been here in Soul Society for one hundred and ten years. If he were still on Earth, he probably would have died of long age a long time ago. However, Harry would not have wanted his life to have turned out any other way. Sure, there were times in which he wondered what was happening back where he came from. After all, it had been over a century since he had left. Did the man with the red eyes return? And if he did, did he succeed in whatever nefarious scheme his mind was capable of? Though he still thought of it at times, Harry did not let his thoughts of the other world plague his mind. He still sometimes wondered how he died and ended up in Soul Society. Perhaps it had something to do with that mysterious red light that saved him from his uncle at that time…

Magic. That was the best explanation that he could reason as to how he appeared in Soul Society. Harry didn't know how or why he was sent to Soul Society before his death, but he let it go every time he thought about it. There wasn't any point to wondering why he was sent to a place he thoroughly enjoyed being in.

It had taken awhile for the other two occupants of the household to believe in his magical capabilities. After all, he really didn't know any magic, and could only perform it accidentally. Harry let out a chuckle as he remembered the day where Hinamori had chased him around the house due to a comment that she overheard about her weight. Though Hinamori was not shallow like other girls Harry had the misfortune of meeting, she could easily get ticked by a comment that either he or their friend, Hitsugaya Toushirou, made. It wasn't even Harry that made the comment! It was all Hitsugaya's fault…Most of it anyways. She had chased him around for minutes before eventually catching him in his arms. He had then found himself wishing he was away from her clutches, and found himself sitting on top of their rooftop…Needless to say, the two of them were quite shocked at what he had just done. Since that day, his two friends did not doubt his magical abilities.

Off in the distance, he could hear Hinamori calling him to come over. Groaning at the disturbance of his "reflection time," Harry got up and slowly made his way over to where both Hitsugaya and Hinamori were standing. Today was the day that Hinamori was set to begin her studies as a shinigami at the nearby academy. She had passed the entrance exam a month ago, and was overjoyed at the prospect of becoming a shinigami…which annoyed both Harry and Hitsugaya to no end. Both Harry and Hitsugaya never showed any displays of spiritual energy, and neither wanted to become a shinigami anyways. As he approached them, Harry reflected over how much both of them had changed over the years.

Hinamori had grown up in height. No more was she the shy little girl who was bullied the year they had became friends. Her raven black hair had grown in length, and she had made it so that some of it fell over her forehead, while she tied the rest back. Her gentle brown eyes were as Harry had always remembered them, and it always had made him feel at peace whenever he looked at them. She now wore the robes which all academy students were forced to wear. They were white from the waist up, with red lining on the arms and the symbol indicating her as a new student on both sides of the robe. From the waist down, the rest of the robe was just red, and Harry marvelled at how naturally beautiful his friend looked in it.

Hitsugaya on the other hand…was short. That was the first thing people noticed about him, and Harry and Hinamori always laughed at him about it…which **GREATLY** annoyed him. The first impression that Harry had had of Hitsugaya was that he was a very lazy individual. There was a saying that first impressions were sometimes wrong…but not in this case. His white hair had grown, and Hinamori had always tried to tame both Harry's and Hitsugaya's unruly hair, but had failed every time. Eventually, she had given up on the idea. He still wore his navy blue robe, where both sides crossed over one another on his chest, along with his purple sash. His icy green eyes were narrowed as Hinamori said something, before turning into a full force glare as she began laughing at him.

"What's so funny?" asked Harry as he finally reached them. Hinamori stopped laughing and smiled at him, and Hitsugaya acknowledged him with a nod of his head before glaring once again at Hinamori. Noticing this, she started laughing again before explaining to the confused Harry. "I just told Shiro-chan to act like a good **little** kid while I'm away" explained an amused Hinamori. Harry looked at her in amazement. She truly had a "death wish" coming. Hitsugaya absolutely **HATED** being reminded about his height, and would be in a angry mood for the rest of the day whenever it happened. Harry grimaced. Trust Hinamori to do this the day she was leaving…

"Shiro-chan" was Hinamori's nickname for Hitsugaya, which was Japanese for "Whitey." This was made reference to Hitsugaya's unusual white hair, which was an uncommon hair colour. Hinamori also had a nickname for Harry, though he never really minded it as much as Hitsugaya did. "Midori-chan" was her nickname for him, which was a reference to Harry's green eyes, which she always commented on how beautiful they made him look. He didn't mind it much because his mom had the same green eyes, and it was nice to always remember her once in awhile...though it did sound a bit feminine at times.

"Okay then, I'm going, Shiro-chan, Midori-chan" said Hinamori as she gave Harry a hug which he returned, before patting the shorter Hitsugaya on the head. "Quit calling me Shiro-chan! And don't pat me on the head!" exclaimed Hitsugaya as he swatted away Hinamori's hand, before crossing his arms over his chest. Harry rolled his eyes, as Hinamori placed her hands at her waist and looked down at him in amusement. Hitsugaya could be so immature sometimes! "When you can enrol in the same place as me, then I'll call you by your name" teased Hinamori.

"As if we'd want to go to shinigami school" said both Harry and Hitsugaya simultaneously, though Hitsugaya added a "Screw that" before his phrase. Hinamori giggled at the both of them before beginning to run to school. "After I move into the dorms, I'll come back on the holidays to see the both of you! Take care of yourselves, you two! Later!" shouted Hinamori as she began to disappear. "Don't come back, Bedwetter Momo!" said Hitsugaya lazily as he rubbed his stomach. Harry snorted at Hitsugaya's use of Hinamori's nickname. As revenge for calling him Shiro-chan, Hitsugaya retaliated by calling her "Bedwetter Momo," which made references to her "accidents" as a child.

As Hinamori finally disappeared off into the distance, Harry turned towards Hitsugaya. "So…What do you want to do now?" asked Harry. They had never really discussed what they were going to do without Hinamori around them. His white haired friend shrugged. "Want to go eat some watermelons?" asked a hungry Hitsugaya. Harry grinned and nodded. Due to both his and Hitsugaya's love of watermelons, the three of them had started to grow watermelons in their backyard in order to accommodate them over the century and ten years. Together, the two one hundred and fourteen year old boys raced towards the watermelon patch, anxious to devour some of their delicious fruit.

* * *

True to her word, Hinamori visited the two of them whenever she had any days off. Though she had visited them many time over the years, there was one specific time which Harry remembered quite easily. It was the first time she had ever returned from her studies at the academy. The three of them were sitting on their front porch, eating their watermelons, as Hinamori told them about her studies at the academy. 

"Captains are just totally amazing!" exclaimed Hinamori ash she held her watermelon in her hand. She was telling them about her first experience of seeing a Captain-ranked shinigami, which had supposedly shown up one day to inspect the academy. "The spirit force coming from their bodies is completely different from ours!" Harry and Hitsugaya simply continued devouring their watermelons, as they each finished a slice in five seconds each. "Gosh, are either of you listening to me? Shiro-chan? Midori-chan?" asked Hinamori. As Harry continued chewing on his watermelon slices, Hitsugaya stopped halfway through his and turned towards Hinamori. "I told you to stop calling me Shiro-chan!" exclaimed Hitsugaya as he started spitting a line of watermelon seeds at Hinamori's face. Hinamori let out a scream as she tried to shield herself with her hands, while Harry was laughing besides her. He immediately stopped laughing when Hinamori started glaring at him, which made him gulp. When Hinamori was mad, it was not wise to antagonize her any further…Only idiots like Hitsugaya were stupid enough to do that.

"And why do you come back every time you have a day off? Is there **that** little do at the academy?" asked Hitsugaya. Hinamori frowned at him. "Hey! I come here to hang out with you two." Before his friend could make another stupid comment, Harry interrupted. "Don't listen to him, Hinamori. We appreciate you coming to visit us once in awhile." said a smiling Harry, who ignored the glare he was receiving from his friend. Hinamori smiled at him before the three of them started munching on their watermelons once again.

Hinamori then stopped eating and looked up at the sky before saying "When I become a shinigami, I'm definitely going to join Captain Aizen's squad!" Hitsugaya and Harry simply looked at each other before resuming devouring their watermelons. "What? I'm serious!" exclaimed Hinamori as she saw the looks they exchanged.

And so began Hinamori's dream to join the 5th division of the Gotei 13, in hopes of being placed under the command of Captain Aizen Sousouke…

* * *

_The Year of 1969, Soul Society, North Rukongai, District Thirty_

Five years had passed since Hinamori had been accepted into the shinigami academy. True to her word, Hinamori had worked hard over the years in order to achieve her dream of joining Aizen Sousouke's squad. She had thrown herself into her studies, and had practiced nearly every night over a time period of five years. Improving in her melee combat with her zanpakutoh (soul slayer), Hinamori had discovered that she had a talent for kidou (demonic arts). After all her hard work and dedication, it was finally time…Hinamori Momo, friend of Harry James potter and Hitsugaya Toushirou, graduated from the shinigami academy.

"I did it!" shouted Hinamori as she ran into the house where she and her friends inhabited at a neck breaking speed. Silence being the only thing that greeted her, Hinamori slowed down and looked around. The lights were off, and Hinamori couldn't see anything in the darkness that encompassed the household. "Shiro-chan! Midori-chan! Are you guys here?" shouted Hinamori.

"I told you to stop calling me Shiro-chan!" yelled a voice from her left. Suddenly, she heard a groan from her right. "Stupid Hitsugaya! You completely ruined the surprise!" yelled a voice from her right as the lights came on, only to reveal an angry Hitsugaya and an annoyed Harry Potter. Hinamori blinked in confusion. "Surprise? What surprise?" asked Hinamori. His eyes changing from annoyed to gentle in a matter of seconds, Harry turned towards Hinamori and said "Well…We wanted to congratulate you for graduating from the academy…So Hitsugaya and I decided to do something special for you…" said a smiling Harry as he led her into the living room. Hinamori gasped in surprise.

A feast. That was the only way to describe the amount of food in front of her. Various amounts of food that the three of them enjoyed was placed on the table, as Hinamori looked at it all in amazement. In their little family of three, she and Harry were the only ones capable of cooking. Hitsugaya, despite the fact that he was a genius child, simply did not have the talent to perform such a skill. As she continued looking around, she spotted banners which said "Congratulations, Bedwetter Momo" which, while normally annoying her, brought tears to her eyes. All of a sudden, she spun around and pulled a surprised Harry and Hitsugaya into a fierce hug. "Oh my god! Thank you so much!" whispered a crying Hinamori.

The two boys relaxed in her arms as they slowly embraced her back. "Congratulations, Momo" whispered the two boys into her ears. Hinamori smiled at the use of her first name as she continued to embrace them. They hardly called her Momo, and would only call her that during special times…This was one of those special times.

The three of them could later be seen sitting in front of their favourite tree in the backyard. Hinamori sat in the middle of both of them, as the two boys slowly began to drift off to sleep. She smiled as she heard their soft breathes, and looked down sadly at the both of them as a tear slid down her cheek. "I'm going to miss you two so much…" whispered Hinamori. Now that she was an active shinigami of the Gotei 13, she would not be able to see them as much as she had done over the past few years. "You two are so important to me…I love you both so much…" she whispered as she gently played with their hair.

"We love you too, Momo" whispered Harry as he slowly opened his eyes. "And you're going to see a lot more of us than you think" said Hitsugaya. Wiping away her tears, she turned her head towards Hitsugaya, a look of confusion on her face. "What do you mean, Shiro-chan?" asked a curious Hinamori. Before Hitsugaya could retaliate to the use of his nickname, Harry answered her. "What he means to say is that starting next month, we'll be attending the shinigami academy." As what Harry said slowly processed within Hinamori's mind, she turned her head back and forth from Harry to Hitsugaya. "Wha…? When…? How…?" muttered a shocked Hinamori. As what Harry said hit her, she grabbed the both of them into a fierce embrace. "Oh my god! I'm **SO** happy for the two of you!" squealed Hinamori.

"Ack! Hinamori…" gasped a suffocating Harry. "We can't breathe!" gasped an equally suffocating Hitsugaya. Realizing what she was doing to them, Hinamori immediately release the two of them and apologized, blushing at her stupidity as the two boys quickly breathed in air. "I can't believe it…You two are actually going to become shinigami!" exclaimed Hinamori. Suddenly, she turned to them with a curious look on her face. "What happened to not wanting to go to shinigami school?" she asked. The boys quickly replied with "Boredom."

Technically, it was true. They were tired of having nothing to do while Hinamori was away. Though they managed to survive those past five years, both Harry and Hitsugaya was getting quite tired of it. What they wouldn't tell Hinamori, however, was that they had another reason to become shinigami. To them, Hinamori was an important individual to the both of them. Whether it be the role of a sister most of the time and even sometimes a mother, the two truly did care for Hinamori…and in order to protect her, both Harry and Hitsugaya would strive to become strong shinigami capable of protecting her and, though they never thought about it, each other.

Thus began Harry James Potter and Hitsugaya Toushirou's journey to become shinigami.

* * *

**Author's Note:** To all those wondering what happened to my other story, "Death's Blossom", I removed it. I was dissatisfied with what I wrote, and have temporarily removed it until another time. Until then, this new story has been created, and I like it far more than I do my other. Future 'ships will include Harry/Fleur and Hitsu/Hina, which will take place later in the story once they head to Hogwarts during what is supposed to be Harry's fourth year. Any comments and/or suggestions are highly welcome, and reviews would be nice . 

Next chapter tells of Harry and Hitsugaya's journey of becoming shinigami.


	2. Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

**Disclaimer** – Harry Potter and all associated characters are property of J.K. Rowling. Bleach is the property of Kubo Tite.

**To Love Even In Death: Chapter Two**

_Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder_

"_We love you too, Momo" whispered Harry as he slowly opened his eyes. "And you're going to see a lot more of us than you think" said Hitsugaya. Wiping away her tears, she turned her head towards Hitsugaya, a look of confusion on her face. "What do you mean, Shiro-chan?" asked a curious Hinamori. Before Hitsugaya could retaliate to the use of his nickname, Harry answered her. "What he means to say is that starting next month, we'll be attending the shinigami academy." As what Harry said slowly processed within Hinamori's mind, she turned her head back and forth from Harry to Hitsugaya. "Wha…? When…? How…?" muttered a shocked Hinamori. As what Harry said hit her, she grabbed the both of them into a fierce embrace. "Oh my god! I'm **SO** happy for the two of you!" squealed Hinamori._

"_Ack! Hinamori…" gasped a suffocating Harry. "We can't breathe!" gasped an equally suffocating Hitsugaya. Realizing what she was doing to them, Hinamori immediately release the two of them and apologized, blushing at her stupidity as the two boys quickly breathed in air. "I can't believe it…You two are actually going to become shinigami!" exclaimed Hinamori. Suddenly, she turned to them with a curious look on her face. "What happened to not wanting to go to shinigami school?" she asked. The boys quickly replied with "Boredom." _

_Technically, it was true. They were tired of having nothing to do while Hinamori was away. Though they managed to survive those past five years, both Harry and Hitsugaya was getting quite tired of it. What they wouldn't tell Hinamori, however, was that they had another reason to become shinigami. To them, Hinamori was an important individual to the both of them. Whether it be the role of a sister most of the time and even sometimes a mother, the two truly did care for Hinamori…and in order to protect her, both Harry and Hitsugaya would strive to become strong shinigami capable of protecting her and, though they never thought about it, each other._

_Thus began Harry James Potter and Hitsugaya Toushirou's journey to become shinigami.

* * *

_

_The Year of 1969, Soul Society, Shinigami Academy, Freshman Number One Class_

"Greetings, new students. Our central spirit technique institute is an academic institution with a long division of creating future Secret Mobile Corps and Thirteen Court Guardian Division Members" welcomed one of the professors of the academy. "I want you all to apply yourselves everyday so that you are not embarrassed by that tradition. I am your primary instructor, Oounabara Gengorou." Oounabara was a strict bald man with glasses who took his classes very seriously. He wore a golden bracelet around his neck, and wore a set of grey robes overlapped by another black set of robes. The classroom they were in was a traditional lecture hall, albeit on the small side, with a podium in the front where the professor stood. Various long desks were placed in front of the podium, each easily capable of seating five students comfortably.

"This freshman number one class is a so-called special advance class where those who achieved the most exemplary scores on the entrance exams are gathered. In order for you men and women to become not only members of various divisions, but eventually the shinigami at the top thereof, I hope you will do the best in your training" finished Oounabara as he began his lesson on the basics of kidou.

Harry Potter slowly opened his eyes as the lesson began. He had almost fallen asleep during Oounabara's welcoming speech, and was glad the man's speech had ended just as he was about to fall asleep. Otherwise, he would have probably already fallen asleep which would have resulted in him getting in trouble on the first day…Definitely not something he wanted. Taking out a sheet of paper, along with his brush and ink, Harry began taking notes on the lesson. Over the century of living in Soul Society, he had picked up various languages used throughout the world. Some individuals spoke French, some spoke Italian…Basically, many languages were in use by the people of Soul Society. However, it seemed that the use of Japanese and its literature was mainly used in the Central Academy of Spiritual Arts. Harry had never been gladder at the fact that he learned the Japanese language as he began taking notes.

As Oounabara began to explain the various types of kidou, such as destruction spells and binding spells, Harry noticed with a sweatdrop that a certain white haired friend of his currently had his eyes shut while the lesson was taking place. Thinking about how stupid Hitsugaya could be sometimes, Harry took one of his sheets of paper, crumpled it, and threw it at Hitsugaya's head. As the paper ball made contact with Hitsugaya's friend, his ice green eyes slowly opened as he rubbed them with his hands. He then looked at Harry with a hint of annoyance on his face, wondering what the hell he wanted. Seeing Harry tilt his head towards the professor, Hitsugaya looked at Oounabara, back towards Harry, before they closed one again as Hitsugaya drifted off to sleep…again.

Disbelieving eyes started back at Hitsugaya for a second, before turning back to the blackboard to focus on the lesson. Harry Potter sighed as he did so. Now he had to take notes for the both of them…_'Hitsugaya so owes me one'_ thought Harry as he began taking notes at a rapid pace.

* * *

A few weeks later, the freshman number one class was gathered outside in the courtyard, both Harry and Hitsugaya with them. Since the day they arrived, the two boys had become bored out of their minds. Everything they learned in the academy was so…boring. The various skills and techniques they were taught were nothing to the two of them, and Hitsugaya once even suggested that they drop out of the academy…Of course, the idea was never given any more thought than that. In order to keep themselves busy, the boys had found themselves in the academy's vast library, throwing themselves into the various tomes and scrolls located there. There, even the lazy Hitsugaya became interested in the skills and techniques found in what they were reading. The two of them absorbed the knowledge they read like a sponge, quickly moving from one piece of writing to another. 

Whenever they had free time, the two of them practiced what they learned inside one of the many training rooms, unknown to their classmates. The various fighting techniques in which they picked up from their reading slowly began showing up in their movements. They practiced Hakuda (Hand-To-Hand Combat) on one another, though both were only about average in the area. Harry, being the taller one, had difficulty landing a hit on the shorter Hitsugaya, who was able to move much quicker than his friend. Harry had once accidentally made a comment about this, resulting in him being kicked in the stomach for making a remark about Hitsugaya's…problem. Hohou (Movement) was quite easy for both of them due to years of running away from Hinamori whenever she was angry. The two of them were quite fast, but to master the various skills that involved rapid movement would take more than simply a few weeks.

Kidou (Demonic Magic), however, was Harry's area of expertise. While they were able to understand the spells easily, Harry was able to master the lower level spells at a rate that surprised the both of them. Kidou spells could be separated into three categories: Destruction, Binding, and Healing. Spells required an incantation to be said before the spell could be used, though higher level shinigami were able to completely skip the incantation…Each spell was given a number to give an indication of how powerful the spell was. The higher the number, the stronger the spell. Both Harry and Hitsugaya were proficient in the areas of destruction and binding, though Harry was better than Hitsugaya when it came to healing.

Zanjutsu (Sword Arts) was an area both boys loved. While they were only able to wield wooden swords during practice, both boys sparred with the best of their abilities against each other. Both equally talented in the area, it was difficult to determine who would win the spar at times. Even the theory behind the sword arts was interesting. Each soul slayer, a Japanese katana, had three forms in which it could achieve. Its first state was its normal form, where it was sealed and seemed like nothing more than a regular katana. Each soul slayer was an actual spirit given physical form, and it was through an understanding of their avatar that a shinigami was able to grow stronger. Avatars could take many forms, whether it be in the form of an animal or the form of a human spirit. Various soul slayers existed through Soul Society, and no two soul slayers were ever the same. The second stage was referred to as "Shikai" (First Release). In order to attain this state, the name of the soul slayer must be learnt. Though this task may sound simple, some shinigami never learn the name of their soul slayer. Once learnt, however, a new stage of power is achieved. Through an incantation unique to each soul slayer, the shikai is unleashed. The third and final stage is referred to as "Bankai" (Final Release). Increasing the strength of the soul slayer by a possible factor of ten, only the strongest individuals within Soul Society can achieve this state, and is sometimes referred to as the mastery of being a shinigami. In order to unleash this stage, the words "Bankai" are spoken. Each bankai was unique to every individual.

Harry and Hitsugaya both yawned as they took a seat in the in the back. Their class was outside in the courtyard in order to practice the kidou spell, Red Flame Cannon, which was the 31st spell in the destruction category. Their professor, a man with black hair wearing blue robes, had split them into three groups to prevent any accidents that could occur if they all practiced at the same time. Harry and Hitsugaya were in the last group, and both watched in boredom as the first group was called up. "It's been awhile since we've last seen Hinamori…" said Harry, as he remembered their friend. Hitsugaya turned his bored look towards him. "It's to be expected. She's busy after all" replied Hitsugaya as the second group was called up. "The faster we get out of this academy, the more we'll be able to see her."

"Yeah…I suppose so…" replied Harry before they were interrupted. "Potter! Hitsugaya! Perhaps you would like to demonstrate to us how to perform the spell correctly seeing as how you're busy talking" yelled their professor. Sighing, Harry and Hitsugaya got up, as the rest of the class snickered at their misfortune. As they took their positions, Harry could hear some of their classmates taking bets as to whether they would succeed or not. He rolled his eyes. _'Idiots'_ thought Harry.

The objective of the task was simple. Lying at the end of the courtyard was a target which they were supposed to hit with the Red Flame Cannon. Nobody else in the class had managed to hit it so far and, undoubtly, their professor did not expect them to either. "Alright! Go ahead, you two" shouted their professor.

Both Harry and Hitsugaya placed their left hand on their right forearm as they eyed the target they were supposed to hit. Unknown to them, their professor's eyes widened in shock as a blue spiritual aura surrounded them. "Ye Lord, Mask of blood and flesh, All creation, Flutter of wings. Ye who bears the name of man, Inferno and Pandemonium, The sea barrier surges, March on to the south!" chanted the both of them as their classmates and professor looked on. "Way of Destruction, number 31, Red Flame Cannon!" As they finished the spell, the rest of the class could only look on in shock as twin large red fireballs appeared from the boys' hands, and stuck their intended target…and the remaining targets around them. Their classmates had barely been able to conjure a decent fireball, never mind actually hitting the target. Seeing they were done, Harry and Hitsugaya returned to their seats without a word, ignoring the stares they were receiving.

* * *

_The Year of 1970, Soul Society, Shinigami Academy_

One years passed by rather quickly since the time they first stepped into the shinigami academy. Ever since the day they had first revealed their talents at the Way of Destruction practice, their fellow classmates had looked at them in awe and jealousy, which greatly annoyed the both of them to no end. They had earned a reputation within the school due to their unbelievable skill and knowledge which they displayed in class. Their test and exam results were always the top of their year, but neither of them could outdo the other…Knowledge-wise anyways.

Skill-wise was a completely different story. It was silently established amongst the both of them that Hitsugaya was not as talented as Harry when it came to Kidou. That's not to say that Hitsugaya was weak in that aspect. In fact, he was most likely far ahead of their year…and maybe a few of the other years. Harry simply had a natural talent for it, which Hitsugaya accepted. He, on the other hand, was a lot better at hand-to-hand combat than Harry was, easily able to be victorious in their spars. The same went for Harry, however. He was good at the field, just not **as** good as Hitsugaya was. Both were good at moving around, and had just recently mastered "Flash Step," a technique which allowed them to move rapidly from one location to another. When it came to swords, however, both Harry and Hitsugaya were able to show just how strong and talented they were. While they were still did not have their own soul slayers, they had upgraded from their wooden sticks to training swords.

Neither of them had seen Hinamori for two years. Neither she nor they had the time to visit one another, and both Harry and Hitsugaya were beginning to miss her cheerful presence. Today, however, was different. The academy was in a frantic state as they were preparing for the arrival of the Captain of the 1st Division, Yamanato Genryuusai Shigekuni, who was visiting personally to inspect the school in which he had created. While the professors and students tried to make a good impression for the leader of the Gotei 13, Harry and Hitsugaya were not. What made both boys excited about the day, however, was that Hinamori had sent them a letter saying she was coming to visit them, with permission from her Captain…

* * *

Harry Potter sighed. He and Hitsugaya were standing in the main courtyard, waiting for the esteemed guests of honour to arrive. It had been nothing but chaos for the past week. Professors screaming at the students to do this and that, students running around trying to make a good impression to the Captain, and Harry and Hitsugaya…Well, they didn't really give a damn and simply continued their routine. While everyone else was anticipating the arrival of their guest, the two boys were anticipating the arrival of their longtime friend. 

"Shiro-chan! Midori-chan!" yelled an all too familiar voice from behind them. Turning towards the direction of the voice, Harry and Hitsugaya found themselves pulled into a bone-crushing hug that they had not felt since two years ago at their house…Except this time, the grip was even stronger than before and they felt some of their ribs crack. Harry tried to say something, but found that he was absolutely incapable of doing so. He turned his head towards Hitsugaya, his only chance at survival, only to find his friend in a similar situation.

Hinamori Momo was so excited at seeing her friends once again. It had been far too long since she had seen either of them and, while she had made new friends, nobody could compare to the two boys she had grown up with. Embracing them with all her might, she found it strange that they hadn't said anything to her yet. "Shiro-chan? Midori-chan?" She turned towards Hitsugaya, only to find his face becoming devoid of all colour as he was running out of oxygen. "Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" exclaimed Hinamori as she released the both of them. The two suffocating boys suddenly found themselves on the floor, gasping for air.

As he slowly began to feel air in his lungs again, Hitsugaya turned towards Hinamori. "Damn it, Bedwetter Momo. When did you become so strong?" coughed out a wheezing Hitsugaya. Hinamori blushed. Despite his situation, Harry laughed which caused the other two to look at him strangely. "You know, even though I'm in extreme pain at the moment, I can't help but feel happy at seeing you again, Momo."

This caused the three of them to burst out laughing, despite the situation there were in, causing onlookers to look at the three of them strangely.

* * *

**Author's Note**: This chapter **was** initially supposed to be longer, but seeing as how I ran into a small problem, I decided to cut the length of the chapter. It's probably for the best anyways. I'd rather write shorter yet quicker updates rather than one long yet slow update. I mean, I don't want to write some huge chapter Harry returns to Hogwarts… 

By the way, if anyone has any ideas or theories that they think may be helpful, don't be afraid to post them . I'm still trying to figure out how each shinigami receive their own individual sword, never mind their shikai. If anyone has any ideas for when I bring the story back towards Earth, share! Whether it be what house for them to be sorted in, or which HP characters to interact with, I'm willing to listen…

In addition, the relationship for this story. Hitsu/Hina is a definite, and I'm still probably going to go Harry/Fleur. But Harry's relationship still could change, if anyone has any other ideas. Though I say beforehand that I don't like writing about Hermione or Ginny. Less developed characters like the Hufflepuffs are much more fun to write about.

Next time, special exams and a look into the minds of Harry and Hitsugaya as they reflect over their values, beliefs, and that which they wish to protect…


	3. Reunions and Meetings

**Disclaimer** – Harry Potter and all associated characters are property of J.K. Rowling. Bleach is the property of Kubo Tite.

**To Love Even In Death: Chapter Three**

_Reunions and Meetings_

"_Shiro-chan! Midori-chan!" yelled an all too familiar voice from behind them. Turning towards the direction of the voice, Harry and Hitsugaya found themselves pulled into a bone-crushing hug that they had not felt since two years ago at their house…Except this time, the grip was even stronger than before and they felt some of their ribs crack. Harry tried to say something but found that he was absolutely incapable of doing so. He turned his head towards Hitsugaya, his only chance at survival, only to find his friend in a similar situation._

_Hinamori Momo was so excited at seeing her friends once again. It had been far too long since she had seen either of them and, while she had made new friends, nobody could compare to the two boys she had grown up with. Embracing them with all her might, she found it strange that they hadn't said anything to her yet. "Shiro-chan? Midori-chan?" She turned towards Hitsugaya, only to find his face becoming devoid of all colour as he was running out of oxygen. "Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" exclaimed Hinamori as she released the both of them. The two suffocating boys suddenly found themselves on the floor, gasping for air._

_As he slowly began to feel air in his lungs again, Hitsugaya turned towards Hinamori. "Damn it, Bedwetter Momo. When did you become so strong?" coughed out a wheezing Hitsugaya. Hinamori blushed. Despite his situation, Harry laughed which caused the other two to look at him strangely. "You know, even though I'm in extreme pain at the moment, I can't help but feel happy at seeing you again, Momo."_

_This caused the three of them to burst out laughing, despite the situation there were in, causing onlookers to look at the three of them strangely.

* * *

_

The three friends spent a few hours sitting in the courtyard, as they tried to catch up on each other's lives on the past few years. Harry and Hitsugaya told her all about their exploits at the academy, and Hinamori scolded Hitsugaya for falling asleep during classes. He responded with a simple roll of his eyes, saying that she wasn't in charge of his life.

Hinamori also told them about life for the past two years. She had been placed in the 5th Division of the Gotei 13 shortly after her graduation, and had been working hard for the past couple years to work her way up in rank in order to become a Vice-Captain under Aizen's command. Learning new demonic magic spells, which she was exceptionally talented at, though not as much as Harry, she had made a reputation for herself as a Kidou specialist. She had even learned the name of her soul slayer! Tobiume (Flying Plum) looked like a regular katana at first glance until Harry and Hitsugaya looked closely, only to see five-petaled flower designs engraved on the rectangular crossguard. What surprised them the most, however, was when she exclaimed "Guess what? I just got promoted to sixth seat of my division a few weeks ago!" Not expecting this, Harry and Hitsugaya blinked for a few seconds as their minds processed the information before congratulating her.

All individuals classified as Shinigami are placed into one of the thirteen divisions. Within these divisions, there are various ranks. The strongest individual is given the rank of Captain, while the second strongest is ranked Lieutenant. Following this, the hierarchy continues with the next few strongest individuals given seats. Any other members without a special rank are just ordinary members of the division.

Blushing at their praise and congratulations, Hinamori thanked them graciously. Laughing at how she was acting, Harry turned towards the courtyard where the demonstrations were taking place. "You know, if we hurry, we might still be able to catch the 1st Division Captain leaving…" muttered Harry. "Want to go?" directed Harry towards his friends. After they both nodded their heads in affirmation, the three friends got off the ground and made their way over to where the crowds were gathering. As they got closer, Hinamori spotted two individuals and shouted "Kira-kun! Abarai-kun!" as she ran over to them. Two individuals, one with red hair and one with blonde hair, turned around in confusion, before catching sight of Hinamori. "Oi, Hinamori! Where have you been?" asked the red haired one. Hinamori stopped in front of them and smiled. "I was catching up with a couple of old friends" she said, pointing towards Harry and Hitsugaya. "Abarai-kun, Kira-kun, these are my friends, Hitsugaya-kun and Harry-kun" introduce Hinamori. "Hitsugaya-kun and Harry-kun, these are friends of mine from the academy, Abarai-kun and Kira-kun."

Harry and Hitsugaya's first impression of Abarai Renji…Attitude. His posture and even his looks basically screamed the word. His red hair, which appeared to be very long, was tied back with a black string in a ponytail. He had very small beady eyes with red people, which gave him a menacing look that made him look like he was ready to fight. He had a very lean and muscular body, which they were able to see despite him wearing the traditional black shinigami robes. He wore a large pair of sunglasses which were above his eyes at the moment and, what caught their attention the most, was the vast amount of black tattoos located on his body.

Izuru Kira was quite different from Renji. He looked to be a polite and well-mannered individual. His blonde hair was cut off at neck-length, and his blue eyes carried a peaceful look. While he did not look to be as strong as Renji, Kira seemed to possess a different strength from his red haired friend. He also wore the traditional black shinigami robes, though he did not wear any strange eyewear or have weird tattoos all over his body.

"Nice to meet you" said everyone except for Renji who replied with a "Yo!" Shaking his head at his friend's lack of manners, Kira turned to smile at the two academy boys. "It's truly nice to meet the two individuals who Hinamori-kun has spoken so much of." This immediately caught Hitsugaya's attention, and the white haired boy raised his eyebrow at Hinamori who turned away, blushing. "Oh? She speaks of us does she?" asked an amused Hitsugaya. "You wouldn't mind telling us what she says about us, would you, Kira?" Before Kira could say anything, Hinamori ran over and prevented him from talking with her hand. "Kira-kun doesn't know what he's talking about, do you, Kira-kun?" whispered Hinamori in a sweet yet somewhat threatening voice. Kira immediately shook his head in response as his eyes widened.

Chuckling at his friends' antics, Harry looked around and noticed that everyone around him was muttering and looking over in a certain direction at something. As he slowly made his way through the crowds and got closer to his desired location, he suddenly felt his body begin shaking as the air around him suddenly begin to feel denser. _'Amazing…What an immense spiritual pressure…'_ thought Harry as he quickly adjusted himself to the pressurized environment before relaxing and analyzing the sight before him.

'_Yamanato Genryuusai Shigekuni…'_ he thought as he stared in amazement. With his bald head and long white beard, one would expect the figure standing before Harry to be an old man. This was true…but only in appearance. Captain of the 1st Division and Supreme Commander of the entire Gotei 13 itself, Yamanato Genryuusai was probably the most powerful individual to have ever been in the Gotei 13. Despite his age and physical appearance, Harry was sure that the legend standing before him was capable of defeating any other individual within Soul Society…if anyone was stupid enough to try.

"Holy shit…" whispered a voice besides him. Harry slowly took his eyes off the 1st Division Captain, and turned his head to the left to find himself staring at the side of Hitsugaya's face, whose eyes were focused on the same individual that Harry's eyes were focused on only mere moments ago. His ice green eyes were wide open in shock, and Harry noticed offhandedly that he had already adjusted to the pressure. Behind him were Hinamori, Renji, and Kira who were looking at the two of them in amusement and, though somewhat hidden, understanding. "Amazing, isn't it…? The spiritual pressure of a Captain…" Harry heard Hinamori say. "Even when compared to the other Captains, Captain Yamanato is at a completely different level. I still get goosebumps sometimes when I'm near him."

As Harry turned his eyes back towards their honoured guest, he suddenly found himself staring into the pools of boundless knowledge and wisdom that were Yamanato Genryuusai Shigekuni's eyes. As he did so, Harry found himself staring back evenly, despite the pressure he felt simply by looking into the eyes of the person across from him…

"Yeah…Definitely amazing…" whispered Harry to himself before breaking eye contact and turning back to his friends, as Hitsugaya did the same thing. None of them saw the curious yet intrigued look in the eyes of the wise old man.

* * *

Meanwhile, a little distance away from the group of youngsters, Yamanato Genryuusai Shigekuni was currently in discussion with the head of the shinigami academy, Michiru Kagurazaku. While he was the one who had founded the academy, he did not have the time to manage its daily affairs; therefore, another individual was appointed to run the academy in his absence.

He was here today in order to inspect the academy in which he created many years ago, and had spent the majority of the day walking around the academy with the directors of the academy, seeing how everything has changed since his last visit. While he was inspecting the academy, however, there was always a strange feeling prickling him at the back of his mind. It was as if another presence was calling out to him, somewhere very close to his own location. Throughout his day at the academy, he had looked out for anyone or anything that may have been the unknown presence, but had found absolutely nothing in his search.

Now, as he was about to return to Seireitei, he felt that unknown presence within his mind once again, stronger than it was throughout the day. _'Whatever this unknown presence is…It's here'_ thought Genryuusai. While still listening to the directors around him, Genryuusai carefully looked around the area. Many people were surrounding him, mainly the academy students who were staring at him in awe and admiration. Somewhere to his left, he found himself pulled towards a certain group of youngsters. Three of them were members of the Gotei 13, who were most likely visiting the academy with the permission of their Captains. Another child, one with white hair and ice green eyes, was one of the individuals staring at him in amazement. Genryuusai felt that there was something special about this boy, but his thoughts were interrupted as he gazed upon the individual next to the white haired child.

A young child with raven black hair was looking at his friend with an equally astonished look on his face before turning his head back towards its normal position. As he did so, the eyes of the mysterious young boy and Yamanato Genryuusai Shigekuni made contact. At that moment in time, Genryuusai found himself staring at twin emerald green eyes which he could sense a great yet mysterious power behind. Slowly breaking eye contact, Genryuusai noticed that the young boy had a strange scar on his forehead, in the shape of a bolt of lightning.

"Michiru, who are those two boys?" asked Genryuusai. Surprised at being asked a question not related to the academy, Michiru blinked for a second before turning towards the direction in which Genryuusai was looking at. As she caught sight of the two boys in which her superior was referring to, she half-smiled at the sight of Harry and half-grimaced at the sight of Hitsugaya. "Ah, you mean Harry Potter and Hitsugaya Toushiro, I suppose."

'_So those are their names…'_ thought Genryuusai as he nodded. "Can you tell me anything about those two?" Despite her curiosity at what the Supreme Commander of the Gotei 13 wanted with two academy students, she continued. "The one the white hair is named Hitsugaya Toushirou…" she paused as she thought of how to phrase her next sentence. "He can sometimes lack a certain degree of work ethic, and sometimes gets in trouble for sleeping in class…but he always comes through in the end. He performs amazingly well on his examinations, and is revered by his peers and professors as a genius."

"However, he is only one of the individuals in the academy referred to be that title. Both he and Harry Potter are on a completely different level compared to their classmates. While they are the best of friends, he and Mr. Potter differ slightly in terms of personality. Mr. Potter is studious and attentive, and is known for his kind nature. He never refuses to help out anyone in need, and is also highly talented in the area of kidou…Most likely one of the best in the academy at the moment, if not the best" added Michiru.

Having not turned to face Michuru yet, Genryuusai focused his eyes back on the two boys, who were now looking in the opposite direction. "And their year?" he asked. Michuru smiled. "They're just about to finish their 1st year…" While not showing any form of outward surprise, Genryuusai was inwardly shocked. _'This is interesting…The last two young men I met who possessed such natural talent are now Captains of the Gotei 13…If it is true that these boys possess the same natural talent, then it may be wise to look further into it…'_

"I see" replied Genryuusai. "I take it the final examinations should be taking place soon?" Michuru nodded. "Yes, Sir. They will be taking place starting at the beginning of the following week" replied the head of the academy. Genryuusai nodded slightly before beginning to take his leave. "Very well. Tomorrow, you shall receive a package from me. I want you to follow the instructions that accompany it."

Curious as to what the package would contain, but not wanting to hold up any more of her superior's time, Michuru replied with a "I understand, Sir." Seeing this, Genryuusai slowly began walking towards the gates of the academy. However, before doing so, he took one last glance at the two boys which reminded him so much of his old students.

'_If I am correct about you two, I shall be seeing the both of you very soon…Until then, show me what you two are capable of, Hitsugaya Toushiro…and Harry Potter…

* * *

_

**Author's Note:** Anyone hate school? I hate school . Teachers cramming all these evaluations in before the Christmas holidays, giving students no time to relax whatsoever…Thus resulting in a chapter covering less than I intended it to. But oh well…

Hmm as some of you may see in the summary, the relationship involving Harry has changed due to the fact that I am still contemplating who to pair him with. Though "Druss the Legend" made a good point…Someone from Soul Society would be a better match than someone from Hogwarts/Wizarding World due to the large difference in maturity. Matsuomoto is out of the question, seeing as how I like Gin. Rukia….No. Thinking about it, there's not many, but there is a certain 2nd Division Captain…

Anywho, I'll cover the exams next chapter. I'm too tired to write anymore…


	4. Graduations and Apprenticeships

**Disclaimer** – Harry Potter and all associated characters are property of J.K. Rowling. Bleach is the property of Kubo Tite.

**To Love Even In Death: Chapter Four**

_Graduations and Apprenticeships _

_Having not turned to face Michuru yet, Genryuusai focused his eyes back on the two boys, who were now looking in the opposite direction. "And their year?" he asked. Michuru smiled. "They're just about to finish their 1st year…" While not showing any form of outward surprise, Genryuusai was inwardly shocked. 'This is interesting…The last two young men I met who possessed such natural talent are now Captains of the Gotei 13…If it is true that these boys possess the same natural talent, then it may be wise to look further into it…'_

"_I see" replied Genryuusai. "I take it the final examinations should be taking place soon?" Michuru nodded. "Yes, Sir. They will be taking place starting at the beginning of the following week" replied the head of the academy. Genryuusai nodded slightly before beginning to take his leave. "Very well. Tomorrow, you shall receive a package from me. I want you to follow the instructions that accompany it."_

_Curious as to what the package would contain, but not wanting to hold up any more of her superior's time, Michuru replied with a "I understand, Sir." Seeing this, Genryuusai slowly began walking towards the gates of the academy. However, before doing so, he took one last glance at the two boys which reminded him so much of his old students.

* * *

_

The grounds of the central spirit technique institute were empty the following week. Normally, the grounds would be filled with academy students of all years, laughing and enjoying their time at the institute. Some would be found out in the open, gossiping about rumours being spread around the academy and other socially related topics. Other more serious students would be found discussing academy related topics, such as the upcoming tests and lessons.

Other individuals would be found sparring in the training grounds, where there were supervisors watching them to ensure that none of the matches got out of hand. Some, mainly the really, really lazy ones, would be found under a shady area, gazing up at the clouds before falling asleep. Other individuals who could not be found on the grounds could be found in the library or in their dormitories…

But not this day…

Silence reigned throughout the grounds of the academy. Even the hallways of the school were empty. Gone were the students who could normally be found strolling throughout the hallways or the grounds of the academy. There was only one possible explanation for such a disturbing atmosphere…

Examinations…A concept created by an individual who died so long ago that he/she could no longer be found, even in Soul Society…

God, how many people would wish for the chance to meet this man/woman just once in their life…or in their afterlife.

* * *

_The Year of 1969, Soul Society, Shinigami Academy, Freshman Number One Class_

Harry Potter yawned as he took his assigned seat. It was examination day, one which he found no different than any other normal day at the academy. Sure, he had to write a test which would determine whether or not he would advance to the following year, but he really did not care. If he could not succeed on the exam, that was okay by him. He would just find something else to occupy his time.

However, his fellow classmates must have thought differently. They were like demons possessed, muttering to themselves as they scanned through their notes and snapping at anyone who dared to disturb them. Ruffling of paper could be heard throughout the lecture all, as students tried to cram in as much information before the start of the examination. Some students had their eyes closed, and seemed to be trying to recall information that they studied the night before.

"Where's the blasted examiner?" demanded an extremely ticked off and impatient voice beside Harry, though a hint of boredom could be found if you had as much experience as Harry for listening to the individual. Harry lazily turned his head towards his white haired friend and was about to say something before he saw something out of the corner of his eye. Seeing what it was, Harry pointed towards the object with his index finger, forcing Hitsugaya to turn around. "Finally…"

While showing no sign of surprise on their face at what they saw, both were inwardly shocked at who the individual overlooking their exams was. Michuru Kagurazaku, head of the academy in which they attended, stepped into the room with a swift and confident stride. Students around the hall immediately took their seats and shut up as the headmistress arrived at the front of the hall.

"In a matter of minutes, all of you shall be receiving an exam from one of my assistants. I'm confident to say that I do not have to remind any of you of the consequences if you are caught cheating…" reminded Michuru as she looked around the classroom with a stern expression on her face. "You have three hours to write this exam. I wish you all the best of luck."

The aforementioned assistants than began handing out the examinations to the students. As they waited for their exams, both Harry and Hitsugaya were surprised as the headmistress appeared before them with two bundles of paper in her hands. "Harry James Potter. Hitsugaya Toushirou. I wish you both the best of luck" whispered a smiling Michuru Kagurazaku.

As the exam was laid down in front of him, Harry immediately turned past the first page of instructions. As he did so, he quickly flipped to the next page, and the page after that, and the one after that…until he arrived at the last page. _'This can't be right…These questions are not for this year level…I'm not even sure if they teach some of this stuff here!'_ thought Harry.

Looking up from his exam, he turned towards his long-time friend and saw that he too had a confused expression on his face before looking upwards. Their eyes met, and both could imagine the other one asking _'What the hell is this?'_ Both youths (according to Soul Society anyways) looked up at the headmistress and were surprised to see her smiling at them in an encouraging manner. After looking at each other one last time, each of them took a deep breathe before starting to answers the questions. Neither noticed the still smiling yet thoughtful expression on the headmistress' face.

'_Let's now see if the Old man is correct about these two…'

* * *

_

A week after the examinations, the grounds of the academy were full of individuals once again. With the tests now done and classes being over, the various students of the academy were finally able to relax. Two months…two months of absolute freedom before they were forced to work and study again. During this break, some students normally decided to go home, to visit their family and friends which they normally do not have the chance to see during the course of the school year. Other students decide to stay at the academy during the course of the break with their friends for the purposes of either having some sort of fun or working on some project…

Harry James Potter and Hitsugaya Toushirou were of the latter.

It's not that they did not have a home to go back to. On the contrary, there was an empty house in North Rukongai, District Thirty in which they had lived in for the majority of their lives. However, with Hinamori now a shinigami, she did not have the time to go back home and visit them due to the fact that she had duties to fulfill. Without Hinamori there, their home just did not feel like…home. As a result, the two boys decided to just remain at the academy.

Most students take the chance to relax during this break, laughing and joking around with their friends. If someone were to look over the courtyard for a moment, that someone would be able to see various students running around or lying on the grass staring at the clouds in a peaceful slumber. It would be completely strange to see any students doing any work whatsoever and would be even strange to see students in the library…

Harry James Potter and Hitsugaya Toushirou were, as a result, definitely classified under "strange."

Of course, nobody would openly call either of them strange. They were believed to be the most talented individuals that had ever attended the academy in awhile, and angering either them would lead to…disastrous…results. Actually, most believed it to be safer to say something to Harry. He was the more helpful one of the duo, always willing to lend a hand to those in need. Saying anything insulting to his face would result in him looking at the individual in a strange manner, making it seem as is he/she was a complete idiot. Hitsugaya, on the other hand, was the one with the legendary temper. Asking him for aid was considered to be suicide.

"God damn it. It's so boring around here!" shouted an extremely bored Hitsugaya. The librarian, who was rearranging some scrolls nearby, glared at Hitsugaya and told him to be quiet. Hitsugaya simply glared back. As anyone with a speck of intelligence could see, Hitsugaya was **NOT** popular with the librarians.

Neither Harry nor Hitsugaya had really discussed their experience with the strange exam they had written the previous week. The questions which had appeared on it were far beyond their grade level, and both were curious as to why they were the only two students to have written it. They had pondered about it, and had shared their thoughts with each other, but neither of them could figure out a reason for it.

"Geez, Hitsugaya. They're going to kick you out of here very soon at this rate" said Harry exasperatingly as he examined a very old and battered scroll. Hitsugaya scoffed in response.

"On a completely different note, the exam results should be up later today" stated Hitsugaya. Putting down the scroll and looking at his long-time friend, Harry nodded in response. "Yeah, I know…I'm still curious about the exam we wrote though. Why were we the only ones forced to write it?" Hitsugaya laughed as a ridiculous idea began forming in his head.

"Maybe Kagurazaku is trying to fail us on purpose?" wondered a chuckling Hitsugaya. A coughing sound from behind him caused Hitsugaya to freeze. His eyes widened and if anyone were to look at his face, they would know that it belonged to an individual who knew that he was going to be in trouble. "I can assure you, Mr. Hitsugaya, that I am doing no such thing."

As Hitsugaya slowly turned his head around, his worst fears became reality as the form of Headmistress Michuru Kagurazaku stood before him. While the comment she made mere seconds ago was a serious one, she was smiling and looked to be quite amused at the situation. "Heh…Headmistress, I didn't hear you come in…" said Hitsugaya as he tried to worm himself out of his current situation.

Harry rolled his eyes at his friends before standing up and giving a slight bow towards the Headmistress. "Headmistress Kagurazaku, we were not expecting you. Would you like to take a seat?" asked Harry in a formal and polite tone as he got off his chair and pulled one out for the Headmistress. Michuru nodded in appreciation while Hitsugaya scowled at his extremely polite friend. Hinamori had taught them manners at a young age, but Hitsugaya had never been one to listen. Obviously, Harry had listened to her.

"Thank you, Mr. Potter. That's very considerate of you" said Michuru as she took her seat. She waited for Harry to take his seat before beginning to speak. "I presume you're both wondering what I am doing here?" asked Michuru. The two boys nodded in response.

"I assume the two of you have been wondering about the exam in which you wrote last week," continued Michuru. At this, the two academy students nodded again. "I'll also assume that the two of you noticed that you were the only two individuals who wrote that examination?" asked Michuru.

Harry nodded while Hitsugaya rolled his eyes. "Not to sound overconfident and conceited, but I doubt that any other students could have answered those questions." said Hitsugaya before yelping in pain as Harry kicked him underneath the table. Michuru, noticing this, chuckled.

"Very true. There is a high possibility that most students would have failed if they had written that exam" admitted Michuru. The fact that she admitted it so easily surprised both Harry and Hitsugaya, and it took them a few seconds to recover from the admission.

"Then why did you make us write it?" asked Harry. Michuru shook her head. "It was not my idea for the two of you to write that exam" said Michuru to the two surprised adolescents before her. The two blinked in response. "Who was it then?" asked a slightly angry Hitsugaya. He did not like having secrets being kept from him, especially if they were about him or his friends. This included both.

"Captain of the Gotei 13 and founded of this institute, Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni" revealed Michuru. The expression of shock and surprise on both of their faces were hilarious, and Michuru found herself smiling at their reactions. "W…Wh…Wha…What?" This was the only word the two of them were capable of forming at the moment.

"When he visited the academy, he noticed the two of you and took an interest in the two of you. The next morning, I received the two examinations from him with specific instructions to give them to the two of you" explained Michuru. "I was told that he personally wrote the examination, and only gave it to individuals who he believed to be truly talented. My instructions that if you were to pass, you to were to be declared early graduates from the academy."

Both boys were still in a state of shock. "And how did we do…?" wondered Harry. Besides him, Hitsugaya was wondering the same thing. Michuru smiled brightly at the two of them. "I am happy to tell you that the two of you performed extraordinarily well. Congratulations" said Michuru as she reached into her robes and pulled out two diplomas. She then handed one to each of the shocked boys who could do nothing but accept them. "Tomorrow, a carriage will take you both into Seireitei where Captain Yamamoto will speak to the two of you. You should both return to your dormitories and begin packing" suggested Michuru.

The two boys nodded as Michuru got up from her seat. "I wish you both the best of luck in the future" said Michuru as she began to leave. Snapping out of their stupor, the two stood up immediately from their seats and bowed. "Thank you, Headmistress" thanked the two new graduates. Michuru nodded to both of them before leaving the library. As soon as she was gone, the two boys looked at the two diplomas in their hands before turning to each other and making eye contact. There was only one word in which they could use to describe how they felt at the moment.

"Awesome!"

* * *

_The Year of 1969, Soul Society, Seireitei, 1st Division Headquarters_

A nervous looking and jumpy Harry Potter stood within the headquarters of the 1st division the following day. He and Hitsugaya were in the waiting room before the main chamber of the 1st division, waiting to be called in to speak to the Supreme Commander of the Gotei 13. It was a situation that could make any individual nervous, even the usually calm and collected Harry Potter. He was sweating due to his nervousness, which was also visible due to the twiddling of his thumbs behind his back as he paced the room.

While Harry was pacing around the room, Hitsugaya was seated on one of the chairs, looking like the perfect portrayal of calmness and serenity…Which would probably be true if it were not for the fact that his feet were tapping the floor repeatedly as a result of his nervousness. He had his arms crossed, and was staring at the wall in front of him, lost in his own thoughts. At times, his ice green eyes flickered toward Harry to make sure that he did not do anything stupid. Unknown to him, however, Harry was doing the same.

Suddenly, the large doors before them began to open, causing Harry to stop pacing and Hitsugaya to stand up. A moment of silence engulfed them, and they were about to return to their nervous habits until a figure suddenly appeared before them. The figure was dressed in the traditional shinigami robes, though he appeared to dress more formal than the other shinigami. He wore a white robe over his black ones, though they were not the same as the ones the Captains wore. His hair was white, and traces of a moustache could be seen forming above his mouth. It was the emblem on his left arm that indicated to Harry and Hitsugaya who the man was…

1st Division Vice-Captain and Assistant to Supreme Commander Yamamoto…Though they had no idea what his name was.

"Please come in. Captain Yamamoto is expecting you" said the man calmly as he motioned for the two young men to proceed into the main chamber. Nodding in appreciation, both Harry and Hitsugaya began to walk into the main chamber. The Vice-Captain, however, did not enter with them as the doors shut behind them.

The main chamber was nothing special. It was simply a large room with wooden floors where the 13 Captains of the Gotei 13 met when necessary. At the front of the chamber was a chair in which the Supreme Commander of the Gotei 13 sat in. At the moment, there were three other individuals in the room other than Harry and Hitsugaya…Three very intimidating and powerful individuals…

Standing on the right side of the chair (which was to Harry and Hitsugaya's left) was a "scruffy" looking individual, who Hitsugaya believed needed to shave. On his head was a straw hat which, together with his large pink overcoat, gave both Harry and Hitsugaya the impression that he was a carefree individual. This may be due to the fact that the aforementioned overcoat consisted of flower designs, never mind the fact that it was pink. His brown eyes scanned the both of them as he smiled goofily at them. Harry and Hitsugaya may have thought this guy to be an idiot, if it was not for the fact that between his pink overcoat and black shinigami robe lay a white robe…The robe which indicated the position of Captain.

Standing on the left side of the chair (which was to Harry and Hitsugaya's right) was a calm and welcoming individual with white hair. Unlike with the previous individual, both Harry and Hitsugaya knew this man to be a Captain at first glance since there was nothing to hide his white Captain robe. He appeared to be someone who both youths knew that they would come to respect, since he had an air around him that seemed to make others respect him. His grey eyes looked at the two of them in a thoughtful expression, as if he was pondering over something he previously heard about the two of then,

It was the man in the middle, however, that caught both their attention. After all, it was the man they came to see. Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni, Captain of the 1st Division of the Gotei 13; Supreme Commander of the entire Gotei 13; Founder of the Shinigami Academy in which they attended and believed to be the most powerful individual to have ever existed within Soul Society. This man was sitting before them now, and both youths were rendered speechless by his presence.

At first glance, many would consider him to simply be a weak old man. With his wrinkly skin, bald head, white moustache and long white beard, he actually would be considered an old man. No one would deny that. However, there was no way in hell that the man before them could be considered weak. Any individual who can sense another's spirit force would know that the man was the complete opposite of what defined weak. Simply by sitting there, he exuded an almighty and ferocious pressure which caused Harry and Hitsugaya to feel intimidated…very intimidated.

As Genryuusai lifted his head upward, his eyes met Harry's once again. Immediately, Harry felt as if he was being attacked by an invisible force that seemed to want crush all the parts of his body all at once. His breathing rate increased as he fought to adjust to the spiritual pressure which was assaulting him. His own emerald green eyes stared back at the coal black eyes of the 1st Division Captain, which seemed to possess an infinite pool of knowledge. Suddenly, as if pleased with something he found, Genryuusai smiled and the spiritual pressure dropped back to normal. Besides him, the two unknown Captains raised their eyebrows in surprise.

"Welcome, Harry James Potter, Hitsugaya Toushirou" welcomed the wise old man before them. "I can not put into words how happy I am to see you two before me. For the fact that you two do indeed stand before me means that you succeeded in my little test and have graduated from the academy. Am I correct?" asked Genryuusai. The two boys nodded in response. Harry then hesitantly asked a question that was plaguing his mind ever since yesterday. "Sir…Why did you choose us?"

Neither Harry nor Hitsugaya expected the man before them to begin laughing. "Please excuse me, the two of you. Your question simply brings back many memories" chuckled Genryuusai. He motioned to the two Captains beside him. "For you see, the last time I was asked that question, the two individuals besides me were standing in the position you two are in now. Isn't that right, Juushiro?" directed Genryuusai to the Captain with the white hair who chuckled in response.

"Indeed, Sensei. It was a very long time ago" answered the Captain. The other Captain nodded and grinned in response. Genryuusai then focused his attention back on the two boys before him, who seemed more relaxed after their discussion.

"I chose you two because I sense a strong and powerful force within the two of you, one which may only be found every few generations or so. Even then, the potential I sense in each of you is astounding. It would be an absolute waste if that strength is not brought to its full potential" explained Genryuusai to the two shocked boys. "The fact that you succeeded in the examinations confirmed my theory that you two are truly two of the brightest minds I have had the fortune of meeting in recent years."

"That is why I called you before me, in order to reach an agreement with the two of you" stated a serious Genryuusai. Both boys suddenly became very interested at what could possibly be in store for them. "What kind of agreement, Sir?" asked Hitsugaya in a serious tone which did not normally suit his lazy nature.

Genryuusai smiled at the two of them. "The opportunity to train with me for five years as my apprentices, just as the two besides me did before you" explained Genryuusai as he motioned to the two Captains once again. "Do you accept?" Both boys' jaws nearly hit the ground as their eyes widened at the sudden opportunity. An opportunity to learn for a day under the legendary Yamamoto Genryuusai was considered to be rare and desired by many. A full apprenticeship existed only in dreams! "Of course!" exclaimed both Harry and Hitsugaya in a hurry. It still felt like a dream to the both of them, and they were not going to let it slip out of their grasp.

The old man before them nodded. "Very well. Seeing as how you two are now graduates of the academy, you are also both considered fully trained shinigami, despite the training which you may receive. Normally, the Captains or Vice-Captain choose the new recruits themselves but, seeing as you two are special cases, I have taken the liberty of having already done that for you" explained Genryuusai before he focused his attention on Hitsugaya.

"Hitsugaya Toushirou, I would like you to meet Ukitake Juushirou, a former student of mine and Captain of the 13th Division" introduced Genryuusai as he motioned toward the white-haired Captain who nodded and smiled at Hitsugaya. Hitsugaya smiled and nodded back, which normally would freak Harry out since he did not make some form of stupid remark. Genryuusai then focused his attention on Harry.

"Harry James Potter, I would like you to meet Kyouraku Shunsui, another former student of mine and Captain of the 8th Division, even though he may not look like one" introduced Genryuusai as he shook his head. "Old man Yama, I'm hurt" said Kyouraku sarcastically before turning to Harry and waving. "Yo!" Harry grinned and bowed in return. _'This guy seems to be pretty interesting'_

Genryuusai then coughed to get their attention, which caused their eyes to focus back on him. "Now, as I mentioned previously, the examination was to test your knowledge. Succeeding in that allowed you to come here. However, there is another task you must fulfill before we may start." Seeing there curious expressions, he continued.

"As you may already know, the most important weapon to a shinigami is his/her zanpakutoh. Not only is it an important asset, but the bond formed between shinigami and the spirit of the zanpakutoh is directly proportional to the shinigami's strength. Learning to trust it, to understand it, and to become one with it is the most important step in a shinigami's life. Each spirit is unique to the individual and, as a result, the method in which everyone attains their zanpakutoh is unique to them as well" explained Genryuusai as he saw understanding begin to form on their faces.

"Your task is to attain your zanpakutohs within the week. Failure to complete this task will result in the negation of the apprenticeship" finished Genryuusai. "One **WEEK**?" exclaimed a shocked Hitsugaya. Besides him, Harry was also showing signs of shock. Some shinigami never even attained their zanpakutohs throughout their lives and even those who do take ears. They had one **WEEK**!

Seeing Genryuusai nod with no hint of changing his mind on his face, Harry and Hitsugaya turned to look at one another as if in silent communication, both sighed and then both nodded. Seeing this, Genryuusai clapped his hand a couple of times in response. "I'm happy to see that both of you still have that determined look in your eyes. Shunsui and Juushirou shall take the two of you to your respective quarters momentarily after I speak to them" said Genryuusai calmly. Seeing this as a dismissal, Harry and Hitsugaya bowed before stepping out of the room. The giant doors closed softly behind them as they left.

"So, what do you think of them?" asked Genryuusai, seeking their impressions of the two youths from his former pupils. "They definitely have potential…" muttered Ukitake.

"There's definitely potential there, especially in that Harry boy…Though do you really think that they'll fulfill their task by the end of this week, old man?" asked a serious Kyouraku, completely different from the goof whom Harry and Hitsugaya saw.

"We shall see…" said Genryuusai in a low voice. Kyouraku shrugged and grinned at the 1st Division Captain. "I'll bet you a full round of sake (Japanese Alcohol) that they'll somehow manage it."

"Shunsui, should you really be betting on your own subordinate's future?" demanded Ukitake in an exasperated tone as he rolled his eyes at his friend. "You're too serious sometimes, Ukitake" responded Kyouraku as he laughed.

"And you're not serious enough!"

Genryuusai shook his head in exasperation. _'Indeed…We shall see soon enough what those two boys are capable of…'

* * *

_

**Author's Note:**

1) I'm not dead

2) I might regularly update my profile so check regularly

3) Writing all this stuff before Hogwarts and all is really really boring

4) Harry/Susan!

5) I need ideas for a zanpakutoh / soul slayer for Harry

6) Tell me who you want to go to Hogwarts when I finally get there


	5. To Soar Upon The Frozen Sky

**Disclaimer** – Harry Potter and all associated characters are property of J.K. Rowling. Bleach is the property of Kubo Tite.

**To Love Even In Death: Chapter Five**

_To Soar Upon The Frozen Sky_

"_Your task is to attain your zanpakutohs within the week. Failure to complete this task will result in the negation of the apprenticeship" finished Genryuusai. "One **WEEK**?" exclaimed a shocked Hitsugaya. Besides him, Harry was also showing signs of shock. Some shinigami never even attained their zanpakutohs throughout their lives and even those who do take ears. They had one **WEEK**!_

_Seeing Genryuusai nod with no hint of changing his mind on his face, Harry and Hitsugaya turned to look at one another as if in silent communication, both sighed and then both nodded. Seeing this, Genryuusai clapped his hand a couple of times in response. "I'm happy to see that both of you still have that determined look in your eyes. Shunsui and Juushirou shall take the two of you to your respective quarters momentarily after I speak to them" said Genryuusai calmly. Seeing this as a dismissal, Harry and Hitsugaya bowed before stepping out of the room. The giant doors closed softly behind them as they left._

"_So, what do you think of them?" asked Genryuusai, seeking their impressions of the two youths from his former pupils. "They definitely have potential…" muttered Ukitake. _

"_There's definitely potential there, especially in that Harry boy…Though do you really think that they'll fulfill their task by the end of this week, old man?" asked a serious Kyouraku, completely different from the goof whom Harry and Hitsugaya saw. _

"_We shall see…" said Genryuusai in a low voice. Kyouraku shrugged and grinned at the 1st Division Captain. "I'll bet you a full round of sake (Japanese Alcohol) that they'll somehow manage it."_

"_Shunsui, should you really be betting on your own subordinate's future?" demanded Ukitake in an exasperated tone as he rolled his eyes at his friend. "You're too serious sometimes, Ukitake" responded Kyouraku as he laughed._

"_And you're not serious enough!"_

_Genryuusai shook his head in exasperation. 'Indeed…We shall see soon enough what those two boys are capable of…'

* * *

_

_The Year of 1969, Soul Society, North Rukongai, District Thirty_

One week can pass by rather quickly. Technically, one week is only seven days which is really only one hundred and sixty eight hours. Going further, this was only ten thousand and eight minutes which is only six hundred and four thousand and eight hundred seconds…

Nothing to an individual who has lived for over a century (one hundred and nineteen years to be exact).

But God damn it. There was nothing the one hundred and nineteen year old Hitsugaya Toushirou wanted right now more than more time! He sighed. Six days had passed since his and Harry's meeting with the three Captains at the 1st Division headquarters. Six horribly tiring days in which he barely slept in an attempt to find a zanpakutoh to call his own. He woke up in the early hours of the morning and slept in the late hours of the evening, looking into various books scrolls, and even asking Captain Ukitake for advice. But the only advice in which the man had given him was:

"_Zanpakutoh's are as unique to the individual as a thumb print. If you aren't given one, yet still feel as if you should have one... You have to find it in a place that calls to your spirit…"_

Really helpful advice…

But now, on his last and seventh day in which he had to fulfill the task, he came to the conclusion that he was out of ideas, and he might as well try to listen to his Captain, who was a very intelligent man in Hitsugaya's eyes. So now, if anyone were to be looking for the young man named Hitsugaya Toushirou, they would be able to find him lying in North Rukongai, District Thirty, outside of Seireitei…His home. He was lying on the grass in which he normally lied upon, an area reserved for only him and not touched by either Harry or Hinamori. It was the only area in which he could mull over his thoughts in peace, and where he would usually come for some peace and quiet.

The house in which the three had inhabited had not changed much. It was as if it was frozen in time, unable to change from how it appeared to them a year ago. The doors had not been moved, the same cracks in the walls were still there, and the large crater in the floor behind the house was still there from the roof accident…But that's another story altogether. What was most important to Hitsugaya, however, was that their watermelon patch was still alive and thriving…which was really strange since no one had been around to water them. However, Hitsugaya had seen many strange things throughout his long life, so he didn't really care how it was done, as long as the results were there. Now, thirty minutes after he had returned and looked around the house, a large pile of finished watermelon remains and seeds lay a few meters away from him as he mulled over his thoughts.

Ever since they had left the 1st Division Headquarters six days ago, Harry and Hitsugaya had not seen each other, as they were placed in separate divisions. At first, he felt completely isolated in the 13th Division headquarters, but Ukitake had been kind enough to show him around the area and to introduce him to a few people. One such person was Shiba Kaien, the lieutenant of the 13th Division. The man had grey eyes that glowed with mischief and happiness and raven black hair, similar to Harry's and welcomed him immediately…with an **extremely** hard pat on the pack which sent Hitsugaya to the floor. Not saying that Hitsugaya was weak…just that Kaien was a **BIT** too enthusiastic. He was married to a woman named Miyako, the third seat of the same division. Hitsugaya found her to be an intelligent and kind woman, who seemed to act as the mother for the entire division.

Ukitake Juushirou, Captain of the 13th Division, was one of the most interesting individuals Hitsugaya had ever met (though he would never admit that to anybody). Throughout the Gotei 13, he had a legendary reputation for being a nice guy, and everybody respected him greatly…though none more than his own division. The division loved and respected their Captain, and carried out any tasks assigned to them with a fanatical fervour. That being said, Ukitake was also a friend to every member of his division, and was not afraid to help out any of his subordinates. However, Ukitake supposedly suffered from some form of disease which was currently untreatable by the 4th medical division, leaving him ill and in frail health most of the time. As a result, Kaien was responsible for most of the duties.

Hitsugaya sighed before continuing in his thoughts. He had not seen or heard from Harry in six days, and had not heard from or seen Hinamori since her visit to the academy. It was the longest in which he had ever gone without seeing or hearing from one of them. Even while Hinamori was at the academy, he always had Harry with him…But now, he was alone.

It was a completely new feeling to him.

His friends…He cared for them both, even though he would never actually say it to either of them. Harry was his partner-in-crime, someone who was meant to cause trouble and havoc with him. People had often mistaken them for brothers, despite the fact that they looked nothing alike. One had black hair, one had white. One was tall, and one was…average. One specialized in kidou, while the other specialized in zanjutsu. They were complements to one another, one filling in for the other's weaknesses and, when they worked together, there was nothing they could not do…despite how corny that may sound.

Hinamori…was like a sister to him. She even acted like his mother at times which, even though he appeared to be frustrated by her motherly nature, he secretly appreciated it. It was nice to know that someone cared for him, from how he dressed to whether he had been eating properly. Her nickname for him, Shiro-chan, was something he admitted to himself that he liked being called by her, though he would **NEVER, EVER** admit that fact. If either Harry or Hinamori were to get word that he actually liked it…Hitsugaya groaned. He could imagine the teasing that would come out of it.

She was the reason in which both he and Harry had decided to become shinigami, other than protecting one another. He wanted to protect her…He could not imagine life without her. Hitsugaya discovered that fact when she had left for the academy six years ago, and he had eventually came to one conclusion…He liked her. Not only as a sisterly figure, nor a motherly figure…But he really liked her. It was probably the only secret he kept in which Harry did not know about, and he intended to keep it that way. Hinamori had set her eyes on Aizen (Hitsugaya rolled his eyes in disgust despite never having met the man), and he knew that she didn't see him the same way in which he saw her…So he had resigned himself to admiring her from afar, watching over her to ensure that she was happy…

'_To protect not only Hinamori…but Harry also. To make sure that the three of us are able to remain together for the rest of our lives…That is why I want to become a shinigami…'_

As he thought about his reason to become a shinigami in his head, Hitsugaya suddenly noticed the air around him becoming colder. As he looked up into the sky above him, he was surprised to see snowflakes falling from above him. Sitting up, he saw the small lake in front of him beginning to freeze, as an icy surface formed on the water's surface. The ground around him was also covered in snow, yet not one inch of him even had a snowflake on him. Thinking he was hallucinating, Hitsugaya laid back down on the now snow-covered ground and closed his eyes once again. He stayed like that for a moment before thinking that he should resume looking for his zanpakutoh again, before he ran out of time. Thus, he opened his eyes…

And God, he wished he never opened them.

He was falling. Oh God, he was falling. He was hundreds, maybe thousands, of miles in the air, and plummeting toward the ground at an extraordinarily fast pace. There was nothing between him and the ground, nothing that could save him from an untimely death…again. Around him, no longer was it simply snowflakes falling from the sky…It had now become a blizzard, one with such a ferocity that it tore threw the sky at a maddening rate, engulfing everything in its path. Hitsugaya was so frantic that he did not realize that despite being in the eye of the blizzard, he did not feel one bit cold…

Frantic and desperate for anything to prevent his collision with the ground below him, Hitsugaya looked around him, hoping for something that could save him…Anything! As he did so, he spotted something to his right. If he wasn't in a life threatening situation at the moment, he would describe it as one of the most beautiful things he had ever had the fortune of seeing.

A dragon. Wingless and antlered, made entirely of the clearest blue ice he had ever seen. Its body made up of the beautiful and crystalline element of ice, formed together by what must have been gallons of water. It's long, serpent-like body extended from its large head which, at the moment, seemed to be in a state of rest as its eyes were closed. The air around the creature carried a blue spiritual aura, similar to the colour of a shinigami's aura.

Thoughts were processed through Hitsugaya's head at an amazing pace as he struggled to find a solution to his current troubling situation. Here he was, plummeting toward the ground in some great blizzard with only some huge ice dragon besides him…

Wait a second…

Hitsugaya's eyes snapped open. Dragons could fly! He would've whacked himself on the head if he was not in the situation he was in now for that just sounded ridiculous, especially considering the fact that it came from him. Turning his head towards the dragon, he yelled out to the still dragon in order to get its attention…

No words came out.

Seeing that no sound was coming from his mouth, he tried again…and again…and again…But no words would escape from his lips. Hitsugaya could only look on in horror as he approached the ground. _'NO! I'm not supposed to die here, damn it. I still have a home to go back to…My friends are still waiting for me! I haven't come this far just to lose to some stupid force of gravity!'_ thought a frantic Hitsugaya. _'They're waiting for me…Harry and I still have to become stronger…I **want** to become stronger…God damnit, I want to be with them…to laugh with them…to cry with them…to **protect** them!'_

Turning his eyes toward the ice blue dragon once more, something appeared in Hitsugaya's mind. Years later, Hitsugaya still would not understand how it came to him, nor would he care as he would no longer need to understand how it happened…He would simply need to know that it did…

"Souten ni zase (Soar upon the frozen sky)…" yelled Hitsugaya with all the might he could muster. For a split second, everything froze around him. The snowflakes stopped falling…The blizzard stopped…The dragon stopped falling…**HE** stopped falling…

"Hyourinmaru (Ice Ring)!"

Suddenly, the eyes of the dragon snapped open. Glowing red eyes stared back at Hitsugaya as the dragon came to life. It's fangs of ice, revealed as the dragon let out an immensely loud roar, lines the opening of its mouth. The blue spiritual energy surrounding Hyourinmaru flared as if sensing the life returning to the ice dragon, as it began to take flight in the blizzard.It flew by a shocked yet immensely relieved Hitsugaya, and slowed its motion as Hitsugaya landed on its head and grabbed one of its horns, before flying towards the ground.

When it finally reached the ground, Hitsugaya jumped off Hyourinmaru's head and would've kissed the ground if he wasn't so amazed by the sight before him. In his hand, he held a zanpakutoh. A katana with a four-point star-shaped handguard, it included a black chain spiralling about in much the same way as Hyourinmaru himself. A crescent-shaped blade swung from the end of the chain, which now lied on the ground beneath him. Smiling a rare smile that replaced the usual scowl on his face, he turned towards the dragon and said "Thanks…Hyourinmaru." The blue ice dragon roared in reply, before disappearing and bursting into waves of water. Still smiling, Hitsugaya closed his eyes before opening them again.

He was back. Still lying on the ground in front of his house, it was as if time had frozen while he was 'gone'. However, there were three distinct changes that he noticed as he stood up from where he laid. The first being that Hyourinmaru now rested in his hands, the end of it being pointed at the snow covered ground.

The second was that the entire lake in front of him was frozen, most likely due to the figure floating high above it. A pillar of blue light encompassed the frozen lake and, high above Hitsugaya in the center of the pillar, was Hyourinmaru just as Hitsugaya had seen him a moment ago. All around him, a gentle snowfall was occurring, both in Rukongai and Seireitei…at least one half of it anyways…

For the third thing that Hitsugaya saw was a large and terrifying thunderstorm that seemed to shake even the heavens from which the lightning and thunder came from. Black clouds covered the skies of the other half of Rukongai and Seireitei, and lightning appeared from darkened skies, striking the ground in random locations. Strong winds seemed to be present, as Hitsugaya could see a large number of trees and structures being torn apart by the ferocious winds. In the center of the storm was a silver pillar of light…similar to the blue pillar which had appeared in front of Hitsugaya. Above him, Hyourinmaru seemed to be responding to the other pillar of light, as it seemed to be roaring in its direction. As he stared at the silver pillar, a part of Hitsugaya already knew what it was as he stared at it in awe…

"Harry…"

* * *

**Author's Note:** Zanpakutoh #1 done!Next chapter is Harry's zanpakutoh, before we time skip again and we introduce more characters (i.e. Susan), along with seeing what's happening in the Wizarding world. 

One large mistake in which I found was Dumbledore not knowing that Harry disappeared in 1984. Mrs. Figg or someone Dumbledore has watching Harry must have noticed…I'll be going back and fixing all these things after the next chapter.

For now, I still need ideas on Harry's zanpakutoh, with a physical description of it, shikai abilities, bankai abilities, etc. I'm at a loss as to how he'll even get his zanpakutoh, like Hitsugaya did in this chapter. Any suggestions are welcome. I'm also on planning writing an OC, since Harry needs a lieutenant. Should be interesting to come up with…

That's all for now, I think. Read, review, and PM me if there's anything you'd like to address.


	6. Author's Note

To anybody who's actually still paying attention to this piece of writing,

Thanks ). In all honesty, I lost interest in this story ages ago (as seen from the lack of updates). I really had no idea where I was going with this story, as getting through all the Bleach-related events prior to the Hogwarts events is quite…difficult. I had random ideas all over the place, but how to get to those events in a fluid manner proved to be far harder than I initially thought.

It's only recently that I began reading HP related fanfics again, and that once again sparked my interest in the HP universe. As a result, I do plan on continuing this story, but I am first going to look over previous chapters and edit certain characters and events in order to make it fit my current standards. Mainly Harry's character and how they graduated, along with his squad assignment. Developing a strong foundation off all this is necessary before moving onward with the story.

Relationships and the Harry's weapon is still up for debate, although at the moment I highly doubt I'll pair him with a Bleach character. My current interests lies in darker HP fanfics, as I can't find myself reading anymore of the light-hearted ones. As such, it will be reflected in this story. Harry's zanpakutoh is indeed lightning related, but all the specifics have not been worked out yet. Still a long time before I get to either though.

I'm surprised I'm even considering bringing this back to life considering university is hectic beyond belief. But everybody needs a hobby in order to not go insane and I find reading/writing works for me. So don't fret everyone ). We'll see how far this goes.

- Raymomofo


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